BHP Billiton
BHP Billiton (BHPB) is an international mining firm which describes itself as "the world's largest diversified resources company." It mainly deals in minerals and petrochemicals, but also is one of the world's leading exporters of "thermal coal," i.e. coal used for power generation."Energy Coal," BHP Billiton website, accessed 3/08 In 2006, BHPB's profits exceeded US$10 billion. BHPB is a dual listed company, made up of BHP Billiton Limited and BHP Billiton Plc - the dual company status resulting from a 2001 merger. The global headquarters are in Melbourne, Australia. Our Structure, BHP Billiton, accessed December 2007. BHPB has been accused of environmental vandalism, displacing indigenous people, and unfair union controls. BHP Billiton Business & Human Rights Resource Centre website, accessed December 2007. Climate Change In June 2007, in response to concerns about global warming, BHPB announced that it would commit US$300 million "over the next five years to support the development of low emissions technology and to encourage emissions abatement," reported Reuters. BHPB "also set fresh targets to reduce the energy and greenhouse intensity of its projects by 2012. ... BHP was on track to beat a target of a five percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per unit of production by end-June 2007, and had set a target of a further 6 percent cut in greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 2012." BHP Billiton to take more action on climate change, Planet Ark, June 19, 2007. (See also BHP Billiton's coal interests). Citizen Protests Against BHP Billiton's Coal Expansion July 21, 2008: Australian citizens blockade farm to stop coal exploration On July 21, 2008, nearly 200 concerned residents and landowners in northern New South Wales blockaded a farmer's driveway to prevent a BHP-Billiton drilling rig onto the property to explore for coal deposits. Local residents are asking for an independent study into the effects the exploration and coal mining will have on local underground water reserves.People Power vs. Government Greed, Caroona Coal Action Group website, accessed 7/22/2008 A court had previously issued an injunction against the landowner when he drove a grader across his driveway to prevent the exploratory team from entering his property.Bring it on: Caroona says 'no' to the big Australian, Northern Daily Leader, 7/22/2008 August 11, 2008: Activists glue themselves to coal giant's headquarters On August 11, 2008, nine activists glued themselves to the revolving door and windows at BHP Billiton's headquarters in central London. The protesters also scattered coal across the floor of the lobby. BHP is one of the world's largest coal companies. According to one activist the protest was to highlight that the "expansion of the coal industry is unacceptable in the face of impending climate chaos." The protest ended peacefully after 90 minutes and there were no arrests.Coal protest team glued to doors BBC News, August 11, 2008 August 5, 2009: Protesters block Hay Pt. coal terminal in Australia Greenpeace activists used the group's largest ship to block BHP Billiton's coal terminal on the northwest coast of Australia. The action halted loading and shipments for the world’s largest mining company for more than 36 hours."BHP Coal Berth Blocked by Greenpeace Ship as Protest Continues," Bloomberg, August 6, 2009. Subsidiaries BHP Billiton is the 100% owner of uranium miner Western Mining Corporation, which owns the Olympic Dam (or Roxby Downs) uranium mine in South Australia. Olympic Dam, BHP Billiton website, accessed December 2007. Uranium Miner BHP Billiton is one of the world’s top five producers of uranium, but also the world’s second largest exporter of coal. Our Business, BHP Billiton website accessed December 2007. Its Olympic Dam mine has, so far, produced 60 million tonnes of radioactive tailings, and the waste is growing at 10 million tonnes per year, but there are no plans for the long-term management of these toxic tailings. The mine’s daily extraction of over 30 million litres of water from the Great Artesian Basin has adversely impacted on the fragile ecology, and the mine is a large consumer of electricity and a major contributor to South Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. Dr Jim Green, Nuclear Power: No Solution to Climate Change Friends of the Earth (Australia), the Australian Conservation Foundation, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, the Medical Association for the Prevention of War, the Public Health Association of Australia and the Climate Action Network of Australia, September 2005, See page 7. The Olympic Dam mine enjoys a range of exemptions from the South Australian Environmental Protection Act, the Water Resources Act, the Aboriginal Heritage Act and the Freedom of Information Act. A 2003 Senate inquiry into the regulation of uranium mining in Australia reported “a pattern of under-performance and noncompliance”. It identified many gaps in knowledge and found an absence of reliable data on which to measure the extent of contamination or its impact on the environment, and it concluded that changes were necessary “in order to protect the environment and its inhabitants from serious or irreversible damage”. The committee concluded “that short-term considerations have been given greater weight than the potential for permanent damage to the environment”. Dr Jim Green, Nuclear Power: No Solution to Climate Change Friends of the Earth (Australia), the Australian Conservation Foundation, Greenpeace Australia Pacific, the Medical Association for the Prevention of War, the Public Health Association of Australia and the Climate Action Network of Australia, September 2005, See page 7. Directors Accessed March 2008: Directors, BHP Billiton, accessed March 7, 2008. *Don Argus, Chairman *Marius Kloppers, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director *Paul Anderson *John Buchanan (Australia) *Carlos Cordeiro *David Crawford *Gail de Planque *David Jenkins *Jacques Nasser *John Schubert *David Morgan *Jane McAloon PR Advisers *Geoff Walsh Former personnel *Chip Goodyear, Chief Executive Officer *Tom Harley, President Corporate Development *Ian Wood, Vice-President of Sustainable Development and Community Relations Contact details Australia: BHP Billiton Limited BHP Billiton Centre 180 Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000 Phone: (61) 1300 55 47 57 Fax: (61 3) 9609 3015 Web: http://www.bhpbilliton.com United Kingdom: BHP Billiton Plc Neathouse Place Victoria London SW1V 1BH Phone: (44 20) 7802 4000 Fax: (44 20) 7802 4111 Resources Related SourceWatch articles *Colombia and coal *Carbones del Cerrejón - a Colombian coal mining company that BHP Billiton is a one-third owner of. *Corporate Social Responsibility *Western Mining Corporation *Reconciliation Australia *Alex Vanselow, Chief Financial Officer *Group Management Committee, BHP Billiton, accessed December 2007.Our Board, BHP Billiton, accessed December 2007. *Corporate market share of global coal export trade *Chris Lynch - former chief financial officer References External articles *Peter Crush, "CSR: Let actions speak louder than words", PR Week, September 16, 2005. (Sub req'd). *Burton, Bob. BHP admits Ok Tedi mine is environmental disaster, Asian Times Online, 17 September 2006. *Friends of the Earth Brisbane, BHP AGM: Olympic Dam will continue to operate outside law, 29 November 2006. * "BHP Billiton to Take More Action on Climate Change," Reuters, June 19, 2007. External resources *Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, BHP Billiton resources, accessed February 2004. Category:AustraliaCategory:CorporationsCategory:Mining Category:Nuclear IssuesCategory:Nuclear Issues/AustraliaCategory:Nuclear PR